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Posts for: October, 2013

Congratulations! In a few months, you're expecting a new baby... but, in the mean time, your body is adjusting to nausea, weight gain, food cravings, and a hundred other changes. Is this really the time to worry about your teeth and gums?

Yes and no — don't worry, but do be aware of a few basic facts about your oral health and your pregnancy, and how they affect each other.

Being pregnant may make your teeth and gums more sensitive. It also puts you at greater risk for some periodontal diseases, like pregnancy gingivitis (“gingival” – gum tissue; “itis” – inflammation of) and benign growths on the gum called “pregnancy tumors.” You may think these problems are just uncomfortable, but you should really have them evaluated as soon as they develop. Why?

Once upon a time, it was believed that periodontal (gum) diseases just affected the mouth. Today, we think these diseases and their associated bacteria may be involved with the whole body, playing a role in cardiovascular ailments, heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and other illnesses.

What's more, recent studies suggest that these oral bacteria may be able to cross the placenta, stimulating an inflammatory response that may lead to preterm delivery. Babies who are born pre-term often have low birth weight, and are at greater risk for a number of health complications. That's one reason why maintaining good oral health is so important to expectant moms.

So, what should you do? First of all, keep in mind that maintaining your own general and dental health is the best thing you can do for your developing baby. Eat a balanced diet, keep up healthy habits — like limiting sugary between-meal snacks and brushing regularly — and don't put off visiting your dentist to get your dental cleanings. Those cleanings and a thorough evaluation can set your mind at ease and give your baby the best chance at a healthy start.

Vanna White has been a household name for the last 27+ years and is best known as the first female co-host of the game show, Wheel of Fortune. She radiates a warm, friendly, down-home appeal and says when describing herself, “what you see is what you get!” While this is quite true, there is so much more to her. She has received a star on the famous Hollywood Walk Of Fame, has starred in an NBC movie and written a book. She is even featured in The Guinness Book of World Records as TV's most frequent clapper, and most recently started her own line of yarn called Vanna's Choice with half of the proceeds going to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. And while any one of these accolades could serve as the highlight of a lifetime for most, for Vanna they fall slightly short. Her favorite job is being mother to her son, Nicholas, and daughter, Giovanna.

The following are excerpts taken from an exclusive interview in Dear Doctor magazine, the premier oral healthcare resource for patients and consumers.

What is the secret to her dazzling smile?
Vanna's oral healthcare routine is the same today as it has been since her childhood — and one everyone can follow. She brushes her teeth at least twice a day (morning and at bedtime) and flosses her teeth daily. She also has strong feelings about flossing. “I think that flossing is the most important thing. I believe that dental floss helps a lot as it keeps your gums strong and looking younger.”

What about bleaching, has she done it?
Absolutely! Vanna bleaches her teeth once or twice a year to help retain her naturally white teeth and to offset any discoloration from coffee and an occasional glass of red wine. “I have done over-the-counter and professional bleaching, but I do like the trays my dentist made because they fit perfectly.” She also states, “Anything you can do professionally is probably better because I would assume that a dentist's ingredients are stronger than over-the-counter products.”

Has she had any cosmetic dentistry?
When it comes to answering a question about cosmetic dentistry, Vanna is just as open and honest as she is about everything else — a trait for which she is known. “I had a bridge put in probably 30 years ago, where I had a tooth pulled and there was a space. And I did have a little tiny chip on one of my front teeth years ago that my dentist fixed. But that is it. Again, I feel very fortunate to have good teeth. The braces [from her childhood] straightened them out and there has been no need for any cosmetics since then.”

Does she do anything to protect her teeth?
While she admits to occasionally forgetting to use her nightguard, a protective mouthguard worn during sleep, she firmly believes in their need. “I do sleep in a nightguard because I grind my teeth. I have a filling in the back that probably has been filled five times from grinding.” She added, “Both of my children do have mouthguards that they wear for their sports.”

As dental implants increase in popularity, the surgical procedures to install them are becoming quite commonplace. Still, many people are nervous about this procedure, perhaps not really knowing what to expect. So if you're considering dental implants, here's a rundown of what happens before, during and after the procedure.

Dental implants are actually a tooth root replacement system. A post made of titanium is inserted into the jaw bone at the site of the missing tooth. Because of titanium's bone-friendly molecular structure bone cells naturally gravitate to its surface; over time the inserted post and bone will fuse. After a few weeks of this process, the post will be ready for a porcelain crown, bridge or overdenture to be attached to it.

Before the implant surgery you will undergo a complete dental exam. Everything is planned out in advance so that we know the exact location along the jaw to place the implants. In many cases we create a surgical template that can be used during surgery to identify these precise locations.

The procedure itself is painless for most patients, requiring only a local anesthesia. The procedure begins with small incisions in the gum tissue to allow us to see the precise point in the bone for the implant. We then create a small hole in the bone, using a drilling sequence of successive larger holes until we've achieved the best fit for the implant (during drilling you may experience a mild vibration). We then remove the implants from their sterile packaging, place them immediately into the drilled hole, then stitch the gum tissue back into place.

After surgery, most patients encounter only a mild level of discomfort for a day or two. This can be managed by prescription doses of common pain relievers like aspirin or ibuprofen, although we will use surgical strength ibuprofen. Rarely do we need to prescribe something stronger.

Once the implant fuses permanently with the bone, we then affix the final crown or other dental device in a painless procedure. This final step will give you back not only the use of your teeth, but a more appealing smile as well.